Lakeside Calendar of Events

Lakeside Wooden Boat Show & Plein Air Art Festival

A collaborative effort blending the craftsmanship of the Lakeside Wooden Boat Show and the artistic expression of the Plein Air Art Festival will create one of Lakeside’s most unique weekends of the summer from July 20-22.

This three-day event begins on Friday, July 20 when more than 30 plein air artists from across the Midwest arrive to paint outdoor landscapes until Sunday, July 22.

The term “en plein air” means painting “in the open air.” The artists will be painting scenes throughout the entire community, and all are invited to watch them paint.

On Sunday, the Lakeside waterfront will transform into an outdoor showroom of classic wooden boats, as cruisers line the dock and the lawn of Hotel Lakeside for the 15th Annual Lakeside Wooden Boat Show from 12-4 p.m.

More than 80 wooden boats, each classified by the year it was made, will be featured.

The boats are categorized as historic (prior to 1918), antique (1919-1942), classic (1943-1975), early contemporary (1976-1984) and late contemporary (past 30 years). The sizes of the wooden boats featured range from 9’ to 57’.

The show is coordinated by the Lakeside Wooden Boat Society. To register a wooden boat, contact Wooden Boat Show Coordinator Mame Drackett at mame@drackett.cc or (239) 776-6205. Registration is free.

Several plein air events will also take place on Sunday. The Plein Air Paintout will be held from 12:30-2 p.m. along the shoreline and in Central Park.

Children are invited to paint south of the Pavilion from 1-3:30 p.m. for a fee of $1. Proceeds support the Rhein Center.

Paintings that were completed by the plein air artists throughout the weekend will be available for purchase during the Wet Paint Sale, held from 2:30-4 p.m. south of the Pavilion.

Wally & The Beavs will provide a wide range of music, including songs by Chicago, Journey, Grand Funk Railroad, Elton John, The Blues Brothers and The Beatles from 12-4 p.m. at the Pavilion East Deck.

For lunch, dine at one of Lakeside’s restaurants or enjoy a variety of grilled options at the Wooden Boat Show Cookout from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on the lawn of Hotel Lakeside. The menu will feature chicken, ribs, burgers, brats, potato salad, coleslaw, chips and cookies. Water and pop are also available.